Jōmon Sugi, Ancient cedar tree in Yakushima, Japan
Jōmon Sugi is a Japanese cedar tree in Yakushima in Japan that rises 25 meters tall with a trunk measuring more than 5 meters across. The crown sits above a dense forest of younger trees, and the bark is so thick it folds into deep grooves running the full height.
Scientists place the age somewhere between 2,000 and 7,000 years, though no one knows the exact date it first grew. Discovery by a forester in 1966 brought it into wider public awareness and triggered a wave of visitors to the island.
The cedar takes its name from the Jōmon period of Japanese prehistory, when people first settled these islands. Visitors today walk on wooden platforms that keep foot traffic away from the roots, following a rule introduced to let the tree rest after decades of wear.
The trail leading there follows a forest path roughly 5 hours one way, so bring sturdy shoes and rain gear. The viewing deck sits about 15 meters from the trunk to protect the roots, so a camera with zoom helps capture details.
The platform went up in 1993 after studies showed thousands of visitors each year compacting the soil and damaging the root network. Since then no one is allowed closer than 15 meters to the trunk, a measure that has stabilized its growth.
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